NPR News: 05-10-2026 2PM EDT
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What is the current status of the hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship?
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Nora Rahm. A cruise ship at the center of the hantavirus outbreak is now anchored off Spain's Canary Islands. The passengers, including 17 Americans, are being flown home on planes chartered by their countries. Public health experts are raising new concerns. about whether the U.S. is prepared to respond to another major disease outbreak. NPR's Windsor Johnston reports.
The outbreak has flooded social media sites with posts falsely comparing hantavirus to COVID-19 and spreading misleading claims about transmission. Dr. Seema Yasmin, a former CDC disease specialist, says the broader concern is the nation's weakened public health infrastructure.
We have seen the dismantling and defunding of public health, and we are not ready for the next emerging pathogen, the next flu. So people's concerns make sense.
Yasmin says U.S. withdrawal from the World Health Organization is another major concern. President Trump told reporters last week that the situation is, quote, under very good control. Windsor Johnston, NPR News.
Traditionally, the political party not in the White House gains congressional seats in the midterm election. Democrats have been optimistic about their chances this year, but mostly Republican-led states are trying to redraw congressional lines to their advantage. and the Virginia State Supreme Court struck down a redistricting plan that would have favored Democrats. Congresswoman Debbie Dingell, a Democrat, told CNN she still likes their chances.
We had an election state Senate seat in Michigan this past week that the candidate won by 19 points in a district that was a one-point district. It reflects the anger, the fear that people want aren't happy with what they have that we've seen in over 200 elections since President Trump was elected.
She said if the election were held today, the Democrats would win back the House. A lot of moms will get a break from cooking this Mother's Day. It's one of the busiest days of the year for eating out.
How is the U.S. public health infrastructure responding to emerging diseases?
NPR's Scott Horsley reports.
Gas prices are high and people are feeling grumpy about the economy, but that won't stop families from treating mom this weekend with flowers, greeting cards, restaurant meals, and other gifts. David Miller, who oversees operations at 70 Cameron Mitchell restaurants, expects to do a brisk brunch business today. even as customers economize at other times of the week.
There's no doubt since the war has started, and certainly since gas prices have gone through the roof, it has affected some of our business. The guest who was going out for a $120 dinner maybe is now going out for a $60 dinner.
The National Retail Federation expects Mother's Day spending to hit a record $38 billion. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington.
And you're listening to NPR News in Washington. Climate experts say most of the U.S. is experiencing drought conditions, and that could spark an intense summer wildfire season, especially in western states. NPR's Lauren Summer reports, under the Trump administration, wildfire prevention work has fallen behind.
Many U.S. forests are overgrown with vegetation, which puts them at risk of extreme wildfires that kill trees and spread into communities. So the Forest Service does work every year to reduce that risk. They often set controlled burns during the cool season, which clears out the underbrush. In 2025, the Trump administration burned only about half the area that was burned in recent years. In a statement, the Forest Service says that's because staff was occupied fighting wildfires last year. But some wildfire experts say the work slowed down after the Trump administration tried to shrink the agency last year, leading to the loss of thousands of employees. Lauren Sommer, NPR News.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is resisting calls that he resign after his Labour Party's losses in local elections last week. He told the Observer newspaper he's not going to walk away from the job he was elected to do and plunge the country into chaos. A former minister in his government is threatening to seek support for a leadership contest after heavy losses for Starmer's center-left party in local elections across England and in legislative votes in Scotland and Wales.
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